SATURDAY, JULY 19, 2025
Weekend Reading
Hi Friend,
Since October 2023, the United States has sent over $30 billion in taxpayer-funded weapons to Israel. These weapons have fueled Israel’s genocide in Gaza, which has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians. Today, we have a chance to act. Recently, several members of Congress introduced a historic bill to block the transfer of these deadly weapons to Israel. Join AFSC and partners in urging representatives to support the Block the Bombs Act. Sign our joint petition today! [link removed]
HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
Update: Supporting Afghanistan refugees [link removed]
By Kerri Kennedy
In May, I traveled to Pakistan, where I met with dozens of former AFSC colleagues and their families. These are individuals whom we had helped evacuate from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover. It should have been a joyful reunion. Instead, it was a stark reminder of how the United States has turned its back on so many people seeking safety and refuge in our country. Despite the challenges, AFSC remains committed to helping those we helped evacuate from Afghanistan. Continue reading. [link removed]
JOIN US
Stop ICE Abductions and Block the Bombs [link removed] (July 22,7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT)
You’re invited to join Columbia University graduate and activist Mahmoud Khalil and U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez for a critical conversation on the intersections of U.S. militarization and Israel’s genocide in Gaza. AFSC and partners will examine how U.S. policy drives displacement and repression—and ways the grassroots movement has successfully pushed back. From Los Angeles to Palestine, we need all hands on deck to grow the movement. Register today. [link removed]
IN THE MEDIA
How a volunteer network documents ICE activity across Colorado [link removed]
In Colorado, thousands of community members have stepped up to volunteer with a statewide rapid response network. AFSC manages the dispatch volunteers for the Colorado Rapid Response Network—a 24/7 statewide hotline to report ICE activities, inform community members of their rights, and send volunteer support in real time. It’s one example of how people across the U.S. are coming together to protect each other and their rights. (Colorado Newsline)
Under activist pressure, Atlanta expands housing effort for tent city residents [link removed]
The city of Atlanta has agreed to house 34 people displaced from a homeless camp, thanks to advocacy from a coalition that includes AFSC. The coalition formed after Cornelius Taylor, a homeless man, was killed by a bulldozer when the city first cleared the camp. Seven people remain in hotel rooms funded by the coalition as negotiations continue with the city for permanent housing and support services. Our efforts show "what is possible when everyday people commit to love, dignity, and justice for our unhoused neighbors," says AFSC's Tim Franzen. (WABE)
Special thanks to our monthly donors, our Partners for Peace, for their ongoing support to make all our work possible.
DONATE [link removed]
American Friends Service Committee
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Philadelphia, PA 19102
United States
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